17 Oct

How is history made active?

The Trevi Fountain, a monument commissioned by a man whose name means little to most and for a purpose that does not sway even the most instructed tourist. The monument itself stands perfectly still, almost frozen in time as if Pope Clement XII himself instructed Neptune to hold that pose. Muscles contort in the god’s body as he struggles against his orders. His horses prepare to shatter the marble prison they have been cursed with but in the end neither of these impending threats is ever realized. The fountain is historical for sure; it harkens back to the days that the Aqua Virgo served as the source of water for the center of Rome and although the fountain had a set purpose, place, and meaning at the time of its conception, that historical significance has not remained as static as Neptune. Activity is what keeps the fountain alive. The dozens of rose sellers and vendors of one of a kind glass cubes with Roman monuments carefully crafted inside of them, the jaded scholars instructing tourists while holding silly flags to demarcate their status, the lovers of Rome with hopes of one day returning to the city that so enchanted them. Even the covetous eyes of those wondering who benefits from the fountains shimmering metallic mosaic floor. All of these variables around this historical architecture keep it active and will continue to keep it active as long as it continues to serve as the backdrop to this casual, everyday scene.